Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton offered unexpected praise for President Donald Trump’s handling of the Gaza peace deal over the weekend.
“I really commend President Trump and his administration,” Clinton told CBS News 24/7 on Friday, acknowledging the sweeping plan that has brought Hamas to the table and, remarkably, to agreement.
She also credited Arab leaders for “making the commitment to the 20-point plan and seeing a path forward for what’s often called the day after.”
Her remarks came just one day after Hamas unexpectedly accepted Trump’s peace proposal, a move signaling what many believe could bring an end to the two-year conflict that has devastated the Gaza Strip.
The historic accord will reportedly lead to the release of the remaining Israeli hostages as early as Monday and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
According to details from the agreement, Hamas will be disarmed, and an interim government, overseen by an international body, will assume control over the territory.
While the deal outlines a vision for an eventual independent Palestinian state, the parameters of that goal remain ambiguous.
Clinton, while acknowledging the significance of the development, voiced skepticism about Hamas’s willingness to change its ways or contribute constructively to Gaza’s future.
She told CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell that she had “no confidence that Hamas is in any way reformed or, you know, ready to look for a better future for the people of Gaza or the Palestinians as a whole.”
She urged caution, saying the process of disarming and neutralizing the Iran-backed group must be handled carefully.
Clinton noted that the agreement allows militants safe passage should they choose to leave Gaza, adding that she hoped many would take that route.
The former first lady also urged the Trump administration to hold both Israel and Gaza accountable to the terms of the agreement, calling for international cooperation to ensure peace and stability. She urged, “Let’s now support this process and bring it together, not just in a nonpartisan way in our own country, but literally internationally as a great global commitment to try to bring peace, security, stability and a better future to the Middle East.”
Lock Them Up! Russiagate is reigniting…
Obama, Clinton, Comey, and Brennan are all on the hook!
CLICK HERE to demand Russiagate conspirators got to prison!
Clinton pointed to the Trump administration’s strategic pressure on Israel to return to peace talks after an attack in Qatar in September derailed negotiations.
She said that the strike on Hamas leaders provided “an opening for both President Trump and his representatives to marshal all of the regional powers, including, of course, Qatar, but also to make it clear to Israel, ‘No, this is now enough. We cannot continue this. This conflict needs to end, and we’ve got to move on.’”
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also weighed in on the deal, cautiously welcoming the progress but warning of the region’s unpredictable history.
She told O’Donnell that “no one can be completely confident” in the plan’s long-term stability, though she noted that several elements gave her hope it could succeed.
Rice, who served under former President George W. Bush, said reforming the Palestinian Authority remains critical.
“The Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank, lost control of Gaza after 2006, has not really been reformed in a long time. And it needs reform,” she said. “It needs younger blood.”
Rice proposed involving Palestinians from the diaspora to help rebuild governance in Gaza.
She noted that the Palestinian people “have to own this solution” and that a “new generation of leadership” could provide a necessary reset for the region.
President Trump, meanwhile, projected optimism as he departed for Tel Aviv on Air Force One Sunday.
He told reporters that the remaining 20 living Israeli hostages “may be released a little bit early,” describing the appalling conditions in which they had been held.
“They have the hostages—I understand all 20—and we may get them out a little bit early,” Trump said.
“Getting them back was amazing because we were involved and they were in places that you don’t want to know about.”
The president also spoke about the unprecedented show of unity the peace deal had sparked across the region.
“There are 500,000 people, yesterday and today, in Israel and also the Muslim and Arab countries all cheering. Everybody’s cheering at one time—that’s never happened before,” Trump said, marveling at the reaction.
“Usually, if you have one cheering, the other isn’t. This is the first time everybody is amazed, and they’re thrilled. It’s an honor to be involved, and we’re going to have an amazing time, and it’s going to be something that’s never, never happened before.”
Upon arrival, Trump is expected to meet with families of hostages held by Hamas before delivering remarks to the Knesset, Israel’s national legislature.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday marked “the beginning of a new path,” calling the anticipated release of hostages a “historic event that some people did not believe would happen.”
He reassured the families that “together we will continue to win, and with the help of God, together we will guarantee the eternity of the country and land of Israel.”
Hamas confirmed late Sunday that all surviving hostages had been moved to three separate locations across the Gaza Strip in preparation for release.
Vice President JD Vance also addressed the agreement, assuring Americans that there would be no U.S. “boots on the ground” in Israel.
During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet The Press,” Vance clarified that U.S. Central Command personnel already stationed in the region would oversee compliance with the ceasefire and ensure humanitarian aid reaches civilians.
“We’re not planning to put boots on the ground. What we already have is a U.S. Central Command, we already have people in that region of the world,” Vance said.
“They’re going to monitor the terms of the ceasefire. They’re going to monitor, ensure the humanitarian aid is flowing.”
He reaffirmed that American troops “already there” would manage oversight, while Muslim-majority nations have offered to deploy their own forces to secure Gaza’s transition.
“It’s not going to be necessary for American troops to be in Gaza,” Vance added.
